Bed-bottom



N STATES DATNT E. R. BENTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,091, dated May 24, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. R. BENTON, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements inBed-Bottoms or Spring- Couches; and I do herebydeclare that thefollowing is a full and complete description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top view,Fig. 2 is a side View, Fig. 3 is an end view and Fig. 4f is a topsectional view. Figs. 5 and 6 are also detached parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the herein described constructionand arrangement of a series of wood or metallic springs and slats,running transversely to the length of the bedstead, and in connectionwith other parts hereinafter named, forming when not in use, a level andeven surface as seen in Fig. 2, which readily accommodates itself to theform of the body, giving an easy and uniform pressure to all its parts.

A A &c. represents a series of slats, four feet long, (or equaling thewidth of the bedstead,) about two inches wide and an inch thick. A sideview of one slat is seen at A, Fig. 3. Each end of this slatrests uponthe springs B, C, Fig. 3. These springs are composed of two parts each,as seen in Fig. 5. The ends at D, are pinned or glued together, or both,from Ywhich point, the two pieces B, B, and C, C, diverge at an angle ofabout eight degrees. Each of the pieces composing the spring is taperedfrom D to E, E, and from F to F as seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The end E ofone pair, is fastened by means of a screw, to one end of the slat A, andthe corresponding end F, of another pair, is fastened in the same mannertothe opposite end of the same slat. 'Ihe outer ends of the springs Band C', being the lower half, are attached by screws, to lon itudinalpieces G G as seen at E F in Fig. 3. Each pair of springs are fastenedtogether at their base, by a wire staple, or a The ends E F of thesprings B C, may, or'

may not be fastened together by an elastic 1 band I, interposed betweenthe ends of the slats A, and the ends of the springs B, C. The object ofthis is to preserve a uniformity of distance between the slats when inuse, at the same time allowing a free vertical motion, to the slats A,which thereby accommodate themselves to the various curves of the bodyresting upon them. An increase in the width of the slats will render thestrap I unnecessary.

The bed bottom or spring couch thus formed as described, is placed `uponthe bedstead frame, the rails of which are fitted to receive the same,and upon this is spread a mattress and covering, which completes thearrangement. In arranging the distance the slats are apart, I place t-hefirst two slats as close together at the head of the bed as the springswill allow, and increase the distance about one-sixteenth of an inch ineach pair, toward the foot so that in sixteen slats, the distance gainedis about an inch. The springs should be about two inches wide, andtheslots A, about half an inch wider. Each spring should be capable ofsupporting about twenty five pounds weight before meeting.

l/Vhat I claim as my improvement and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The construction of a bed-bottom or spring couch, yconsisting of aseries of double springs B B and C C; the longitudinal pieces G G andthe transverse slats A A and C, either with or without the flexible bandI, when arranged as herein set forth, and operating in the lmanner andfor the purpose specied.

E. R. BENTON. Witnesses:

J. BRAINERD, W. H. BURRIDGE.

